The End of an Era
by Oliviaface
Summary: It's the end of life as Bella and Edward know it. The Volturi pay a visit to Forks to make sure certain promises are being kept... decisions must be made. Will life and love endure? All BxE and finally complete! Rated M for ch 10, canon after New Moon
1. They're Here

**A/N: This is my very first fic!!! Feel free to critique but please be nice :) Chapter one is mostly plot... the good stuff starts next chapter, so read on! and comment!**

The sun shone steadily through the floor-to-ceiling window of Edward's room, and if Bella had her eyes open, she would have seen it glinting off his skin like thousands of tiny diamonds.

"They're here" Edward gasped as he sat up, breathing heavily. Bella squeaked as she began to fall sideways off his couch, displaced from the sure stone circle of his arms; one shot out and caught her waist midair.

"The Volturi?" she asked when her heart had restarted, terrified voice tinged with anticipation. He said nothing, and that was answer enough. Carlisle and Alice were suddenly in the doorway talking so quickly that Bella didn't even try to understand. The arm that had caught her now crushed her to his side; she didn't mind.

"NO!" Edward shouted so suddenly and loudly that it made her cringe away from him.

"Bella," Alice said in a defeated tone, "Are you ready?"

"Nooo," Edward moaned again. He tuned Bella to face him, "You are _not_ doing this! We'll run away! We'll get on a plane! We'll lead them off our course! We'll-"

Alice interrupted him, "You know you can't beat them Edward. You _know_ that. If you try to run, they'll just kill…" she trailed off, lost in a vision. After a meaningful glance between she and Edward, he began to murmur, "Oh god, oh god." He crushed her head beneath his chin.

"Bella, you know we won't let them hurt you," Esme reassured her from the doorway. She nodded shakily.

"They're here" Alice whispered, closing her eyes, crestfallen. A cold wind swept up the stairs, stirring up hair and piercing clothing. Aro and Caius stood where Esme had been a second ago; she was now at Carlisle's side.

Aro grinned, but it lacked the proper emotion to meet his eyes. "Edward," he intoned mockingly, as if he were scolding a misbehaving child, "You haven't made good on your promise." He drew out the last word in two sing-song syllables. Edward, who now stood in from of Bella protectively, emitted a low growl from somewhere deep in his throat. Caius stepped forward in order to avoid a serious conflict. "It's your choice Edward. One: you change her, two: we change her, or three: we kill her. Take your pick."

"Bella," Edward's voice cracked he turned to her, dark eyes conflicted. "Bella," he murmured again, only for her, trailing his icy fingertips from her temples to chin. Carlisle, Esme, and Alice formed a protective circle in from of them. _It's not fair_ Bella thought, _We have to share this moment in front of them_.

"Who do you want to do it Bella?" came Carlisle's voice, eyes still intent on the uninvited guests.

"Edward?" Bella asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You know I will," he replied in a hard voice after a few moments, his eyes boring into hers.

Aro stepped toward them, clapping his hands like an eager toddler. "Lovely! We'll see you tonight then?"

"Tonight," Carlisle sighed regretfully and nodded. Another blast of cold wind; they were gone. Nearly as quickly, Alice, Carlisle, and Esme were all downstairs, at least trying to give the impression of privacy. Bella and Edward stood in the same spot: arms wrapped about one another, touching head to toe. Normally, they would both be electrified by the contact, but now, they only sought each other's comfort.

"You know I've entrusted you with my heart and soul," Bella whispered, her temple resting against his chin. "Now I get to do it literally." She tried to make light of the situation with her words, but the anticipation she had felt earlier was being replaced by a cold dread that seeped in at the edges.

He let out a harsh laugh that held no joy. When he spoke, he grew progressively louder and enraged. "Do you even realize what you're asking? I'm going to _kill_ you tonight Bella. I'm going to kill the only woman I've ever love-" he hesitated, and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. After a few moments he asked, "Are you afraid?"

She couldn't stop the tears from spilling over now. "Yes-" she swallowed, trying to relax the thickness of her throat, "But I know that after this, things will be so much easier for you… for us."

"Come on and lie down," he said, pulling at her hand. When she asked why, he replied with a faraway look in his eyes, "So you can sleep one last time."

She shivered with the knowledge that she would never sleep-or dream-again. "I don't think I can," she admitted quietly.

He nuzzled his cheek against hers, his lips feather-light against her ear, repeating in a haunting fashion the same word he had said in the godforsaken tunnels of Volterra. "Try." Bella shivered again, but this time not from fear. She knew he was trying to calm her down, but that one word (in his voice) felt like the ultimate seduction. He could have asked her to jump off the cliffs again in a hurricane at that moment and she probably would have.


	2. Alice Was Right

**A/N: This was a really emotional chapter for me to write, which is why I loved writing it so much! Get out your tissues for this chapter and the next one :)**

Bella lay exactly where she had been instructed. One of the Cullens' numerous extra bedrooms had been converted into "Bella's room," complete with bed, beautiful view, and a closet pre-stocked with expensive clothes, shoes, and beauty products (courtesy of Alice, of course). Bella loved every bit of the room, even if she hated to admit it of the luxurious items; it would become hers permanently after she graduated, that is, until the Cullens needed to move. Ordinarily, the gorgeous sunset would have delighted her; a red half-circle just visible over the trees that turned clouds colors of fire; but now, it only reminded her of her impending doom.

Edward sat next to her on the bed, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. He tried to keep the fear, nervousness, and especially anger that penetrated his being from reaching his eyes, but it was an effort in vain. Carlisle and Esme sat serenely on the sofa at the other end of the room, closest to the door. Alice paced almost faster than the human eye could follow. Bella had learned to avoid looking at her or risk the dizziness that came with it.

She had heard the term "deathbed" before; people used it to describe how sick they were when they had to stay at home- they were "on their deathbed". She promised herself she would never use it in such a trivial fashion; then she realized that if all went as planned tonight, she would never be sick again. A few hours _really_ just wasn't enough to mourn the loss of one's mortality.

A note would be sent to Charlie that Bella was alright, but wouldn't be coming home for a few days. The next piece of paper he would get would be a message telling him that she had received an emergency scholarship from the Pacific Northwest Trust, and the Cullens would drive her to complete the transaction in person. These would be the days they needed to complete the change. Then, the (unidentified in the letter) college wanted her to begin within the next few days. She would come home once to collect her things, then she was leaving for the rest of the school year. She was eighteen, after all, and couldn't spend the rest of her life with her parents. She had enough credits to graduate, and besides, with a little help from Edward, Mrs. Cope could get her a diploma in no time at all.

The sun seemed to be moving at time-lapse speed as it disappeared over the horizon. Aro had said "tonight", but with Alice –who had left to find Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper- around she knew they really meant sunset. This time there was no cold wind to indicate their arrival; Aro and Caius simply strode through the doorway. Bella's heart was suddenly beating twice as fast, and was well aware that every vampire in the room could hear it, especially the one right next to her.

"Shall we get started then?" Aro addressed no one in particular. Carlisle made eye contact with Edward, who reminded him that he could step in at any time if it was too much. Edward looked down at Bella, leaned in and whispered, "I love you" against her lips before kissing her like he had only twice before: as if he was saying goodbye. Bella already knew all trace of emotion would be vacant in his eyes as he pulled away. He rolled his neck and shoulders once to release some tension that was more emotional than physical, and looked down at her. "Are you ready?" he asked one last time. She gasped; seeing Edward's fangs for the first time, for a second she felt only fascination… but the situation quickly washed over her once again. She nodded once, and he cradled her head with one hand, and her upper body with the other; her hands automatically twined around his neck. He hesitated and looked up at the others. "Could we be alone? Aro, Caius, you know we won't run." He focused on Carlisle and tried to convey that he would call if he needed help; Carlisle nodded once in confirmation. Aro looked to his companion. "I have no problem with it," stated Caius in a bored voice, and they both seemed to vanish. The rest left the room at a human pace.

After a deep breath, Edward's lips curled back in a snarl; for the first time, Bella was really truly afraid of what he was. She knew he could sense her fear, but if anything, it only made him close the distance to her throat sooner. Her head tilted back, almost like she was standing on her tiptoes to kiss him more easily. She felt two points touch her throat, then they pierced her skin razor sharp. He had daydreamed of this moment, even experienced it once, in Arizona, ever since Alice had foreseen Bella as one of his family. He loathed himself for the pleasure he felt, but couldn't help it; the taste of her sweet hot blood rolling over his tongue and sliding down his throat sent him into ecstasy. He moaned against her throat and the hand that supported her head grasped her hair firmly. The last time this had happened, Bella had been practically unconscious; with her mind fully functioning, the tone was something entirely different. Bella felt the change in him; once the initial pain of the bite was over, she gave herself over to the feeling. The feel of his lips at her throat, sucking, along with the fact that she knew how much he desired her blood caused a change in her as well; she grasped as desperately to him as he did to her… for a while.

Then, it began to sting. He finally tasted something that was not purely her in her blood, and knew that their short-live mutual pleasure was over. It took all his willpower to pull away, still intoxicated by the heady flavor and scent of her blood, but with Carlisle's face in his mind and Bella's fate before him, it was possible. She looked up at him, her eyes beginning to take on a frantic quality, especially since Edward's eyes were now a sinister shade of crimson. Her blood still stained his mouth and chin, a stark contrast from his perfect skin. A slight smile tinged his mouth; he licked his lips as if he had just enjoyed a fine meal. "Edward," she whispered. He snapped out of the trance her blood had induced and gazed down at her with ruby eyes, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. "Edward it stings," she repeated, louder. Her hand went to the wound to rub it. He stared down at her; sadly, he knew all too well what the next few days entailed. "I'll try to stay as long as I can. I love you." He wasn't sure if she could hear him anymore. "Edward- Edward it stings Edward…. Edward it stings!" Her movements became wilder. He knew she was experiencing exactly what she had felt in the dance studio. She began scratching at the bite, as if to scratch out the pain. "On god- oh god it burns!" Tears streamed freely from her eyes and she began to claw at herself. "It _burns_ Edward! Oh god it _burns_!" Once she drew blood, he grabbed her wrists. Her hands continued to jerk erratically and her legs started to kick. "Ahhh I'm on fire Edward I'm on fire!" Her eyes were wide open but she saw no more. He sobbed as freely as she did now, holding down his one and only love so she wouldn't accidentally scratch out her eyes because of a pain that was his doing. He couldn't do it alone anymore; her whole body shook and writhed and if he tried to restrain her alone, he would hurt her. "Carlisle," he called in a rough voice. He immediately entered and took hold of her ankles. "I'm so sorry Bella, so sorry," Edward whispered over and over again, staring into her unseeing eyes.


	3. Escape

**A/N: What can I say about this chapter except that I was bawling when I wrote it? I hope it draws you in as much as it did me :)**

Full night was soon upon them; her words turned to muttering. By the time the sun rose, she had lost all coherent speech. All she did now was scream endlessly; over and over, as fast and as loud and as often and she could draw breath. When the screaming started, that was when he lost his internal battle. He wanted to stay, but he knew those cries would haunt him for all time. Carlisle called for Esme, who was there in a moment to take Edward's place. He stumbled from the room and began to run into the dawn; out of the house, into the forest for miles. Mile after mile at lightning speed, trying fruitlessly to escape the endless shrieking. He ran until he realized that he couldn't outrun the horrid sound; then he redirected his feelings at the surrounding forest. He sought refuge in the trees around him, tearing at them as Bella had at the wound he inflicted. He scratched and punched and screamed and yelled and cursed the Volturi and the sky and himself until the sun was once again low on the horizon.

He stopped eventually, feeling some semblance of himself come back. He was on his knees far from home, breathing heavily. He looked down and realized that if he were human, the ends of his fingers probably would have been reduced to bloody stumps. Splintered trees and wood pulp surrounded him; he wasn't sure how much of the forest he had decimated. His face stung; he smelled for fresh water and half-stumbled, half-crawled until he found it. Looking down at his reflection, he found that sometime during the ordeal, he had turned on himself. The shirt he was wearing had been slashed to ribbons; angry red streaks of Bella's blood ran in criss-cross patterns across his chest and arms. His face was a mess, if one could still call it a face. Portions of skin were gone from his cheeks; a hole showed through one of them. He removed the remains of the clothing and immersed himself in the frigid stream, which was near to his own body temperature, and let it wash away the wood and debris still in his injuries.

Still soaking, he put his pants back on and started for home. The sky was beginning to darken; he sped up and made it there before the sun had reached the trees. Esme rushed to him and had him in her arms the second he crossed the threshold. All of his wounds were healing now, but she still forced Carlisle to have a look at him. After she went back upstairs to watch over Bella, Carlisle asked cautiously, "How are you?" Edward responded only by sighing and feeling the place where the hole in his cheek had been. He put on the fresh clothes Carlisle had brought him, looked to the stairs, and trudged up at a pace that was slow, even by human standards.

The sight that met him in the extra bedroom made his stomach twist in agony. Bella lay on her side in the fetal position. She rocked slightly back and forth, screaming not so loudly now, mostly because she had screamed herself hoarse. Her hands were wrapped so tightly about her sides, that is was surprising she hadn't broken a rib yet. Esme sat by her side, rubbing her back rhythmically in an attempt to soothe her. When he reached the bed, Esme embraced him momentarily, then went to join Carlisle downstairs. Edward lay down next to Bella and tried to pry her hands away so she wouldn't hurt herself anymore. Once they were finally free, they searched for the closest thing they could find, which happened to be Edward. He took one of her hand in his, and the other clamped down on his shoulder. He held her close and whispered, "I'm here, Bella, I'm here." His forehead touched hers; he closed his eyes and began to hum the lullaby he had written for her what seemed like ages ago. After going through it once, she seemed infinitesimally calmer; he sang it again- still calmer. He sang her into the morning, and continued until all she emitted were low, rasping moans, and his own voice was spent. Her limbs had finally relaxed, and he took the time to observe the changes overtaking her. Most obviously, if possible, she was even paler than before, and her hair had gained some golden highlights. Her skin held a faint glimmer, though nothing compared to a full vampire, and something about her face was different, though he couldn't figure it out.

The sun rose high in the sky, then fell; hours passed; her breathing slowed. Her body cooled, that human warmth receding as the sun outside the window did. At twilight, the safest time for his kind -and hers now as well- she took her last breath. Her heartbeat faded into nothingness. He sank to a place he didn't know existed; a place far beyond sorrow. He mourned the woman he loved, though she lay right in front of him. Carlisle had assured him of every step of the process, but nervousness still overtook him. He called his father up to check on her, who kneeled next to the bed and said a quick prayer for her soul before looking over her with physician's eyes. "She's dead Carlisle." Edward whispered hoarsely, staring at Bella's body with wide eyes, as if seeing it truly for the first time. "She's- she's dead." He sank down to the floor, first sitting back on his heels, then sliding back and wrapping his arms around his knees. His shoulders shook violently but no sound came out for a long few moments. His head suddenly flew back and he let out a long, gut-wrenching wail, which sounded closer to an animal than human. Carlisle had his arms around Edward's shoulders, helping him cheat death for a second time. Edward hated himself; he had let himself go twice today and for what? For Bella? Yes, but now it was for a Bella who he might never hear laugh or get angry at him or tell him that she loved him, though he knew he was undeserving. "Aro!" Edward called in a rasping voice; Carlisle withdrew. Edward needed to know, "Is this right?" he asked of the ancient vampire.

Aro took one glance at her and looked right back at Edward. "If she were a normal human, I would say she is fine… a little late waking perhaps, but nothing out of the ordinary. She, however, is a special case. I wouldn't put anything past this one."

"So what do we do?" Edward asked quietly.

"You?" he replied, gathering up his cloak. "You wait. I, on the other hand, return to my humble abode." At Edward and Carlisle's questioning looks, he explained, "She is dead. Whether she is fully dead or undead at this point matters not. My time here is done." And he was gone.

Edward went to Bella's side and again took one of her hands in his. "She can't be _gone_ Carlisle. She can't… I would feel it. I would know if she was _gone_." Though in truth, he really couldn't tell; he just needed Carlisle's reassurance.

"I know," Carlisle responded dutifully, with utmost certainty ringing in his voice. Edward lay down next to Bella, pillowed her head on his arm, and closed his eyes. Aro had said to wait; he would wait for the end of the world.

**A/N: I know, I know, CLIFFHANGER!!! But you're all just going to have to wait for final editing of chapter four... I still have a few un-canon problems I need fix **


	4. Born Again

**A/N: Eternal thanks to ALL my lovely reviewers especially Brittany for letting me bounce ideas off her at all hours of the night :)... if it wasn't for you guys I would never stay up till 1AM to post a new chapter. Hopefully this was worth waiting for! **

Night fell yet again. The stars came out to twinkle over the Cullens' safe haven, as if to mock Edward as he was consumed by grief and guilt; his own personal hell. The ancient grandfather clock in the downstairs hall rang midnight. He lost a little more hope. Minutes felt like hours; the steadfast patience he had gained in the last century flew out the window. Dawn broke gently and subtle hints of light filtered through the window…

Bella could feel herself. She had succumbed to the pain long ago, but now something was returning. Not life- something different… darker? She wondered, from the bottom of a great black lake; something held her there. She struggled- fought for the surface- kicked and flailed her arms- the surface drew near-

Bella sprang bolt upright with a gasping, heaving breath. **HUNGER**. That was all she could feel. More than a desire- it _needed_ to be sated. This craving made her feel… inhuman. She inhaled deeply again- a thousand scents assailed her. Shocked, she realized the extent of her new senses; she could smell for miles- small warm bodies out in the forest, waiting to be consumed. A hand touched her shoulder- her head whipped around and humanity flickered back into her scarlet eyes for a brief moment. "Edward." The word echoed through her mind- it all came crashing back. What _was_ she now? "Edward," she breathed, his arms tight around her now, "need," was all she could get out.

"Carlisle! The rabbit!" he called out, and couldn't keep a triumphant tenor out of his voice. She was _alive_!... well, in what way he knew not, but she was awake, she was talking, and she was _very_ consumed by her Hunger. Carlisle hurried in with a freshly killed and skinned rabbit, whose blood still steamed in the coolness of the house. She tore into it ravenously, taking away huge chunks with her newfound fangs. The lower half of her face was hidden in crimson as she tucked into the next animal. After each creature was consumed, she seemed a little less disoriented, a little surer of herself.

Carlisle kept a supply coming until she suddenly hesitated; the remains of a deer dropped onto the bed. She looked down at her hands and wiped them off on the already blood-stained bedspread, then reached out to Edward, who still sat next to her. He knew the real Bella was back; she smiled for the first time since her body died. "Edward!" she yelled, "Edward you did it I knew you could!" She pounced on him playfully- he could already feel the new strength in her muscles. Looking down at him, she kissed him chastely once, seeming to sober. "I knew you could do it," she whispered seriously, and crushed her lips to his. He focused his hearing outside the room, making sure the top floor was empty- it was. It was times like this he truly appreciated his family.

He felt drunk again with the taste of the fresh blood mingling with Bella's still-sweet scent and the feel of her fangs against his tongue. He pulled back slightly, still awed that he could feel the inhuman vibrating in her body; animated by unnatural death. "Bella," he said as he wiped the blood from her mouth with his sleeve, feeling a smile form, "Bella, I want to try something."

By the look on her face, she was as intoxicated by the first spell of blood as he was by her. "It's strange, not having to breathe," she commented with a loopy smile.

He knew that she was changed, but he couldn't quite comprehend it; he needed something tangible to convince him. He took her hand in his. "Tell me to stop if it hurts." He began to squeeze, at first as light as he would have if she were still human, then harder, harder… Though he knew this would be inevitable, he still grew more and more excited. Eventually he knew that he pressed a human hand as hard and he was hers, the bones would be shattered by now; he stopped.

"I'm not weak anymore you know," Bella stated with a smirk. She meant to jump out of bed, but she shot off of it, nearly hitting her head on the ceiling. When she landed with a cat's grace, perfectly balanced on both feet, she looked at Edward, her mouth formed into a small O. She asked in astonishment and wonder, "Is it always like this?"

He sprang off the bed in a similar motion. "You'll get used to it." Bella stared down at her body; she was … different. The world felt steady beneath her feet. She had just leapt off her bed, and she hadn't fallen- no broken bones, and even if it was possible, they would have healed in minutes, less even. She knew at that moment that clumsy Bella was dead. Bella who injured herself at least once a day and accidentally had hoards of vampires thirsting for her blood, was gone. It saddened her a little, knowing that that part of her mortality would never return. But despite all this, she knew that her new life as one of the Cullens would be everything she wanted it to be.

Edward grinned hugely as he took her in his arms. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes, trying to drink in this new Bella.

"How do I smell?" she asked, tracing his face with one finger.

"Your blood no longer calls to me," he replied.

"Oh," she murmured, dropping her hand to his shoulders, "So I don't smell irresistible anymore?" Her face was slightly downfallen.

He tilted her head up with a forefinger on her chin. "Just because you no longer smell like food doesn't mean your scent isn't every bit as _mouthwatering_"- he pulled her against him- "As it was before." He kissed her with abandon, not withholding any supernatural strength as he had to do before. It was as intense as his "goodbye" kisses, but the intent was the opposite: this was a hello kiss. This kiss was the beginning. Bella pushed lightly on his shoulders; he smiled against her lips and began to walk backwards toward the bed…

**A/N: Okay, I KNOW you hate me... another cliffy! But don't worry, I PROMISE wait till the next update will be much shorter- much less editing to do!**


	5. Do You Miss Her?

**A/N: This one's a shortie, but I wanted to get it up for all the people who have been begging for an update... thanks again to all of you so much! You don't know how much it means :)**

Someone cleared their throat in the doorway. Though Bella was loathe to tear her eyes away from Edward, she wanted to see who this new scent was; it was familiar, it was, "Carlisle!" She threw herself at her new coven leader, who returned the embrace with a smile.

"Sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to see how you were doing."

It took her a moment to respond; she was stunned by the realization that running into him was no longer like running into a concrete wall. "We're fine," Bella assured Carlisle as she pulled away and gazed at Edward, who only had eyes for her. Carlisle's appearance had reminded her that there was someone else in the house. Bella's eyes shone as she asked, "Where's Esme?" Carlisle indicated downstairs with a nudge of his head, and Bella took off running. Esme stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting, and beaming. Bella caught herself on the railing, so as not to run full-tilt into Esme's lovely face, but when she felt the force she had to use to stop her momentum, she stopped and looked down at her feet. "How did I…" she began but trailed off shaking her head as she stepped into Esme's arms. With one arm still around her, Esme smoothed Bella's hair back with the other and said, "I know you've heard it before Bella, but I've thought of you as part of my family long before now."

"Thank you, Esme," Bella replied, grinning, a look of utmost gratitude shining in her eyes. When Esme's gaze flickered to the staircase, Bella turned to see who it was.

Carlisle spoke what her mind was still trying to comprehend, "You _do_ realize that you got down here in a matter of a few seconds." When Bella's jaw dropped incredulously, he added, "You'll get used to the fact that human time is a little different than our time, as is our strength." He gestured with his eyes down toward the railing; an exact imprint of her delicate fingers was splintered into the wood. Her hands flew to her scalp, "Oh Carlise! Esme! I am so, so sorry! God… when I was human I couldn't take a step without falling; now that I'm a vampire I'll be destroying things left and right!"

A pair of arms slipped around her from behind and a voice like velvet caressed her ear, "Silly Bella." She turned to face a pair of ruby eyes smiling down at her. "Unlike your clumsiness, this will pass. You'll get used to your strength, just like we all did." He sighed. With the brand-newness of her transformation wearing off, she really _looked_ at Edward for the first time; aside from being as godly as he always was, he looked… tired. His eyes, though currently elated, held a sorrow that was not easily shed.

She reached up and drew her fingertips down his cheek, her eyebrows drawn together in concern. "You look horrible."

Edward laughed, his first true laugh since the agony of waiting, and raised his eyebrows at her as he replied, "You don't look too bad yourself." She gasped and raced back up the stairs, the astonishment of her change washing over her anew. She skidded into her room, where a full length mirror stood in one corner, and froze when she caught sight of her reflection. "Holy…" she breathed as she stepped forward, reaching out to touch the girl in the mirror, who mimicked her movement. The other girl had menacing garnet eyes; her skin was smooth and flawless as marble, and glowed slightly in the indirect light. Her face was different- cheekbones more prominent, eyes exactly symmetrical.

Edward leaned against the doorframe, watching Bella discover herself. He came to stand behind her and put his arms around her. "Do you miss her, Edward?"

"Who?" he asked, bemused.

"Bella," she answered vacantly, turning in his arms to face him.

"Bella," he repeated sternly, his face suddenly hard and serious, "You're still the same person. You're exactly who you were before you-"

"No," she interrupted him, using one of his most common endearments for her, "I'm not; but- silly Edward, do you honestly think I could regret being what I am now? I love you. Becoming what you are could only bring me happiness."

"I love you," he replied in a voice rough with emotion. She opened her mouth to reply, but he cut her off with a finger against her lips. "You have no idea what- what it was like. I mean- I know the Change is horrid… but watching you… watching you- die… waiting and wondering if you'd ever come back to me… it was like you'd jumped off those cliffs again, but a thousand times worse because at least then I knew for sure you were gone… but…" he sighed wearily, shaking his head.

"I'm here now Edward," she said, her hands skimming up his chest and over his shoulders, "Here for forever."

He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her to him so tightly that her feet came up off the floor. Her arms went automatically around his neck, and with her legs dangling awkwardly, she brought them up and twined them around his waist. This, however, brought two parts of their anatomies together in a rather unexpected way. One of Edward's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline, and Bella blushed furiously with the blood she still had left in her system and lowered her gaze to his chest. For the first time, they both realized that things that had not been possible before would now be, well, possible. Their gazes mirrored the others'- surprise, curiosity, and most fervently, desire. Edward suddenly looked to the doorway, breaking the hypnotic spell they had put on one another. "Carlisle says we should get going," he stated quietly. Bella unwound her legs, and those moments in which she slid down the few inches to the floor in delicious contact with his body, staring into his eyes, seemed like an eternity.

**A/N: I know I've been misleading (i.e. "toward the bed" wink wink) but there's definitely some smut and "THE SCENE" coming up so stay tuned! Hopefully that last tidbit will tide you over for a while hehe ;) And btw there's another HUGE cliffy at the end of next chapter so I want to finish the one after it before I post so I can get the conclusion of that cliffy up sooner! Sorry I know I'm not making any sense... you keep the reviews coming, I'll keep the chapters coming! **


	6. Last Ride Home

**A/N: I know it's another short one, but I'm honestly trying to get these to you as fast as possible!!! I've got AP's and SAT's and an ACT coming up but I'll do my best to churn out new chapters. Plus all the reviews make me want to write more! wink wink Thank you again so much to all the reviewers... sometimes I log on just to read them again and smile :)**

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," Bella commented incredulously as she looked down at the contacts Carlisle held in his hand.

"It's the only way we're going to get you past Charlie. Do you honestly think he'd let you go anywhere if you come home with burgundy eyes?" he asked rhetorically.

"No," she sighed; she rolled her ruby eyes and took the case.

After the contacts were in (with much complaint and slapping of Edward's hands as he tried to help her) she was back downstairs and Edward was holding her coat out for her. "Do I really have to go? Can't you just sneak in my room and grab my clothes?"

"I could," Edward said, letting his fingers linger on her collarbones after he helped her into her jacket, "But then Charlie would never leave you alone, and I wouldn't get the satisfaction of seeing you attempt to act." She narrowed her eyes at him over her shoulder, but he pecked her sweetly on the lips and the smile she tried to hide surfaced. "Let's go," he said, taking her hand and leading her out the door.

Bella followed, but froze unexpectedly on the front porch. "Wow," she said simply, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply.

"What?" Edward asked, suddenly hyperaware of their surroundings.

She spoke haltingly, searching for a way to express what she was feeling. "Everything is so much clearer, so much sharper. Especially scent; I never expected this- the range of what I can sense, out in the forest… all those animals…"

He smiled knowingly, having experienced what she was going though about a century ago. "Come on, you can smell the animals later. We have to get to Charlie's before dawn." She nodded and followed Edward to the Volvo, eyes still fixed on the sprawling landscape. When they finally got out of the forest and onto the highway, Bella commented gazing out the window, "Geez, if we were going any slower we'd be going backwards."

Edward turned to her with a good-natured sardonic grin, "Bella I'm pushing sixty but I can go a lot faster if you want me to."

With wide eyes, she leaned forward to check the speedometer for herself. Sure enough, the needle was just under sixty; her head flopped back against the headrest. "You've _got_ to be kidding me," she said more to herself than Edward. He took his right hand off the steering wheel and took her left with it. They spent the rest of the short ride to Charlie's in comfortable silence, content simply to be with the other.

-------

As they pulled up to the empty-looking house, Bella felt a sense of comfort reverberate through her, but as soon as she opened the car door, she knew something was wrong. Scents hit her like a sledgehammer and she had to grasp the top of the car door to keep from collapsing. Edward zipped around the car and was by her side in a second, helping her to stand. "Are you alright?" he queried, a deep furrow forming between his brows.

She shook her head as if to shake off the sudden weakness, "I'm fine, I think… I just wasn't ready for the scent again. It's pretty powerful if you're not used to it."

"Let's just get you inside," Edward murmured, an arm around her waist. He was so concerned with getting her to her bed that his anxiety eclipsed the fact that Charlie's house was unusually dark- so much so that he didn't even notice that something was wrong until they actually opened the door. He immediately pushed Bella behind him and fell into a fighter's crouch.

"Oh god," Bella whispered, clutching her stomach at the foul odor and sounding as if she would vomit had she had food in her stomach. Bodies filled the room and the stench of werewolf was overpowering.

**A/N: Dun dun DUHHHH!!!!! You must HATE me by now, but the next chapter _will_ be up either tonight or tomorrow... it's finished- I just need to read through it a couple more times. Review my lovelies! Please!**


	7. Broken

**A/N: I am SO SO SO SO SO sorry it took this long to get this chapter up!!!! I plead your forgiveness from the bottom of my heart, but trust me, this really needed another day to simmer, because during History today I added so much more! Where were we? oh yes... dun dun DUHHHH!!!!**

"SURPRISE!" yelled nearly the entire senior class of Forks high school. Edward used the split second in which he realized what was going on to put Bella in a position where they didn't look as if they were ready for a fight to the death. Her throat burned and the thirst was overwhelming, but these were her friends- this was her father, and while she desired their blood more than anything she had ever wanted in her life (besides Edward), she wanted them alive even more. Bella gasped as the flashbulb of the camera she had gotten for her eighteenth birthday went off in her face. She looked up to find a giant banner hanging across the living room ceiling; in bright red letters it read, "Good luck, Bella!"

While she was still trying to get over the staggering realization that the smell which had nearly knocked her off her feet was her first whiff of human blood, Charlie came forward with a fatherly smile on his face. "I couldn't let you go without everybody seeing you one last time, Bells," he embraced her.

Her voice was still a little shaky when she replied, "Thanks, dad," from the crook of his shoulder. She was glad she had the jacket on, so he wouldn't ask why she suddenly had the temperature of a corpse.

When he released her, he grabbed her hands and his expression changed dramatically. "Bella, your hands are freezing! What's wrong?"

She quickly pulled them from his grasp. "It's nothing dad- I just asked Edward to open the moon roof so I could see the stars, and I had my hands outside." Ordinarily, it would have been Edward to come up with something clever so quickly; did vampirism automatically improve lying skills?

As she shook him off, she caught sight of one of the few faces that was not smiling; a small group of boys in the back of the room. Jacob Black's eyes glittered with tears of shock and anger as he turned to follow the rest of the pack, who were sneaking out the back door into the woods. She was still staring after them as she whispered to Edward, "I have to go to the bathroom." When she turned to glance at him, he was looking to the back of the room as well. He mouthed the words "be safe" as he stroked her cheek, already knowing where she was really going. She pushed through the crowd with "excuse me's" and "just have to use the restroom's", having to remind herself to slow down to a normal human pace.

When she finally reached the back door, she saw Jacob stop as he passed the first line of trees on the path and shoot a longing look of desolation back at the house. Was it just her imagination or was he looking at her bedroom window? When he made eye contact however, resentment filled his features once again and he took off into the woods at a jog. "Jacob!" she yelled after him, but he didn't stop. She narrowed her eyes and sprinted after him, exhilarated with the speed at which she caught up with him. "Jacob," she said quieter this time, when she was a few feet behind him. Her throat grew tight as her tear ducts tried to produce tears where there were none. She closed the distance between them and hit him on the shoulder, hard. "Jacob Black LOOK AT ME!" she screamed at him, her voice cracking.

He spun in surprise, because of her words or tone of voice or the strength which she possessed now, she didn't care- she had his attention. He wiped furiously at the tracks of tears on his cheeks and growled, "What do you _want_, Bella?"

She visibly flinched at the ferocity in his tone and replied in a whisper, "Just to talk."

He barked out a wolfish laugh and gestured wildly as he asked, "What could you possibly want to talk to _me_ about? You've got the bloodsucker. You're one of _them_ now. You don't need me anymore."

She interrupted him, "Jacob, I was in Italy." He was shocked into silence. "That's where I went with Alice. They held us there- they wouldn't have let us leave unless we swore that I would be changed. A few days ago, they came to the Cullens' house. If I hadn't agreed to the change, they would have killed me."

He stared open-mouthed at her for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what she had just told him, then spoke. "Can't the younger female see the future or something?"

"Even _Alice_ makes mistakes," Bella replied defensively, making sure to emphasize her name, and shivered internally at the memory of the mistake Alice made a few months ago.

"Or maybe she just wanted you changed so she didn't tell you," he retorted, sounding like a tattling five-year-old.

Bella was taken aback- it was entirely possible that Alice had known the Volturi were coming and concealed it from the rest of the family. Plus- _no _she countered herself, _this was something even Alice wouldn't have kept from Edward, or me_. Jacob's baiting was making her angry; her tone reflected it. "You might find this hard to believe, Jacob," her voice turning acidic as she said his name, "But I _wanted _this. I've wanted to become a 'cold one' for a long time now."

His eyes opened wide in revulsion. "No," he breathed as he backed into a tree behind him.

She stood her ground, for once feeling as if she had overpowered someone almost a foot taller than she was. "After graduation, I was going to be changed no matter what. I _begged _for it. The only reason it happened now is because the Volturi came for me. In fact, Edward was the most vehement about me staying human, whereas I was the exact opposite. There was nothing you could have done to keep me human, Jacob."

He took a deep breath, body shaking erratically, as if about to scream at her, or hit her or _something_, but all of the sudden, his air rushed out unused. It was as if the wind had abruptly died in his sails; when he spoke, his words were meek and his cheeks wet anew. "The treaty is broken. Tell the rest of the leeches they've got one week to be out of Forks, or we'll come after them. That was the only reason we came to your stupid party anyway. If you leave peacefully, we won't bother you again."

The familiar words replaced her anger with dejection, and evoked a phrase she had uttered once before: "If… that's what you want."

He nodded slowly, as if he didn't trust himself with words at that moment. He took tentative steps toward her, like he was going to hug her, but instead he said, "Just one request, Bella."

"Anything," she vowed for the boy that had once been her only friend in the world, her crutch, her savior.

"I know you're basically indestructible, but- be careful. Don't do anything stupid okay? Take care of yourself."

"I will," she whispered. He hesitated, then leaned forward and kissed her forehead, his burning lips branding the skin there. He took off at full speed; a few seconds later she heard the explosive sound of cloth ripping, then he was gone.

Why did this feel so familiar? Being left in a forest… someone you had loved telling you they'd never see you again… oh yes. Now she remembered. But this time, there was one difference. When she lay down in the bracken, there was a pair of arms and a comforting chest to sob dryly against- a deep voice telling her he loved her and would never leave her again.

**A/N: Wow... I kind of love myself for that last part... sound familiar? hehe :D Again, thank you to my reviewers, and again, SO SORRY! I just started adding a little here and there, and before I knew it, Bella and Jacob's dialouge was suddenly twice as long... so much better though! OH and plus I got totally distracted last night writing Bella/Edward gettin hot and heavy in chapter 8... you know you want to read it! But just warning you, it might take a while. I have the whole rest of the story outlined in my head, but Bella and Edward are a couple of horndogs, so I'm making some adjustments ;) Review! It makes me write faster, honestly.**


	8. Farewell to Charlie

**A/N: I know I promised some serious naughtiness in this chapter, but Charlie really deserved a better goodbye, (PLUS I wanted to get more up ASAP for those ravenous readers!) so it's coming up next chapter... and the one after that! Pinky promise:D **

Bella was already in her room upstairs as Charlie sent everyone away, telling them that she needed to pack and unintentionally lying that they would see her before she left. With Charlie's explicit permission, Edward kept her company, prattling on (in a voice too quiet for any human to hear) about unimportant things like Jasper and Emmett's pointless scuffles while he neatly folded her clothes and laid them in the suitcase- a startling contrast to the last time he had packed clothes for her. Her back was to him as she lay on her side, staring out the window at the expansive forest. Once the rest of her belongings were nestled in a few cardboard boxes, he snuggled in against her back, a flicker of remorse surfacing for the warmth she now lacked.

"I know you miss him, Bella. I can't blame you- I mean he was there for you." The unsaid end of the statement "_when I wasn't"_ reverberated throughout both their minds. He pressed his forehead into the bend of her neck and trailed his fingers down her arm. "I'm so, so sorry Bella. I still don't know how to apologize, enough, for what I did. It's unforgivable- I'm so grateful to be here, with you."

"You came back," she whispered, speaking for the first time since Jacob ran off into the night. "You're still here." She turned over to face him and said in a louder, more certain voice, "You love me. You won't leave me." She tucked her head against his chest, "I believe you now- all of it." She let out a giggle of false happiness and added, looking up into his eyes, "And besides, if you do, I'll hunt you down." Her eyes sparkled with dark humor as she lifted his wrist and pressed her face against it, inhaling deeply. It was a common gesture between them, but being on the receiving end of it was a completely different experience for Edward; even with the contacts, her intense eyes tightened things low in his belly. He wound a hand into her hair and brought his lips to hers, his tongue tracing over them before she opened her mouth to him. They kissed lazily, exploring each other's mouths, savoring every moment even though they had an eternity of moments like this before them.

Both their heads whipped toward the door as a loud snore erupted from downstairs. Edward sighed, closing his eyes and touching her forehead with his. "We should leave soon. Write Charlie a note and I'll put your things in the car."

"Mmm, no, I want you to kiss me again," she insincerely whined.

He smiled at her reply. "Bella," he kissed her shoulder, "believe me, there is nothing," her collarbone, "I would like to do more," her neck, "than stay here," her jaw, "and kiss you," finally, lingering on her lips, "but if we're ever going to get out of here, it's better to do it while Charlie's asleep."

She sighed and nodded, "I know."

He kissed her forehead, then stacked boxes in one hand and grabbed her suitcase with the other and was outside putting them in the car in a matter of seconds.

Bella pulled a clean sheet of paper and pen from her backpack (the last thing she owned that remained in the room besides the furniture) and sat for a while, trying to think of something meaningful to write.

_Charlie,_

_Thank you for everything. I love you forever._

A pair of hands skimmed down her shoulders, and lips brushed against her temple. "Everything alright?" Edward asked as gently as possible.

"I don't know what else to say," she said, grabbing at Edward's hands as if they were driftwood in the middle of the ocean.

He looked down at the words she had written. "It looks good to me Bella. Charlie's a simple guy- a simple message makes sense. Plus you say exactly what you mean."

Bella nodded desolately and signed her name at the bottom. Edward had already swung her backpack over his shoulder and held out a hand that she took. They walked -though Bella's was more of a trudge- out into the hallway and down the stairs. Her breath hitched when she saw Charlie, head tilted back, snoring loudly on the couch in front of the TV. She came toward him noiselessly, the letter folded in her hand. She placed it on the coffee table where he wouldn't miss it, and watched him sleep for a few minutes more. "Bella," Edward whispered from the foyer. When she shifted her eyes to him, he indicated the door with a nudge of his head, signaling it was time to go; she nodded and brought her gaze back to Charlie. She very slowly leaned down and pressed her lips to his lined forehead. He suddenly groaned and shifted on the couch; they were out the door before he even stopped moving, still deep asleep.

In the dark quiet of the Volvo, Bella's legs were tucked up against her chest, her arms wrapped around them. Her head rested on her knees, trying to memorize every aspect of this drive, knowing she would never be on this road again.

**A/N: Thanks to the reviewers, especially you guys that have been with me chapter after grueling chapter! Hugs, kisses, and innumerable Cullen cookies to all! And if you wouldn't mind too much, review again! **


	9. What Vampires Do At Night

**A/N: SORRY SORRY SORRY again! I warned you this chapter would take a while :/ I took the SAT this weekend and then I was at ECLIPSE PROM which was so amazing (go to my myspace if you wanna see pics) If you were at the second one, I was wearing the emerald green mermaid-ish dress with the train that everyone kept stepping on... SO without further ado: Bella and Edward, the sexual fiends! (Yes, they are probably more sexual than Steph Meyer will have them be... but this is a fanfic... Bella and Edward are hers, though we all wish he was ours, and I'm just playing with them for a while before I have to give them back hehe)**

It wasn't until the car door opened, letting all the scents of the forest inside, that she woke from her reminiscing. Edward was holding out a hand for her to take; they were home. It was most likely Jasper, combined with the sight of the Cullens' house- Bella's misery lifted (for now, at least). He wrapped an arm around her waist, worried that she might collapse again or do something else un-vampire-like, but she seemed steady now. They passed through the house, all his family suspiciously out of sight.

"Go on upstairs and I'll bring your stuff." When she disappeared around the corner, he heard movement behind him; Alice stood leaning against the doorframe. She suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth, giggling violently.

Edward was afraid of what her response would be, but asked, "What?" anyways.

Her eyes sparkled maniacally as she replied, "I never imagined you could do it for _that_ long… well I'm not surprised. After all, you _are_ a century-old virgin."

Edward coughed into his fist to disguise the grin that overtook him both internally and externally. He couldn't help but peek into Alice's mind and be dazzled by the fanfare of rather intimate images that played there. If it had been possible for him to blush a deep fire-engine red that reached his ears, it would have happened now. "Alice," he whined, "Please stop?"

She batted his arm playfully. "Oh come on, it's not like you haven't been in my mind when I was thinking about Jasper."

"That's different," he retorted. She gave him dubious eyebrows; he sighed. "Okay, so it's not that different. But can you at least not tease me about it? After all, it is our first time."

She smiled her best big-sister smile. "She'll love it Edward, don't change a thing."

He brightened considerably. "Really?"

"Yep," she nodded and disappeared up the stairs, leaving Edward to climb at a more human pace, smiling in anticipation.

He was met by the sight of Bella's empty room. "In here," came her voice, at a slightly lower timbre than usual; the tone intrigued him. He made his way to his own room, forcing himself not to sprint down the hall. He opened the door, and music with a slow, undulating beat spilled over him. Bella reclined on his couch with an expression of anticipation mixed in with desire and nervousness, and a smirk that went straight to his groin covering it all. He shut the door behind him and locked it. "What is this?" he attempted to ask casually, motioning to his sound system.

"I have no idea, it's Alice's. I know it's not something either of us would usually listen to, but I kind of like it- don't you?"

He considered it. It sounded like electronica and Moroccan had a baby; it wasn't particularly complicated, and the singer's voice wasn't anything to praise, but the way it made him feel… it made him want to roll his hips in the most peculiar way. He closed his eyes and let the bass take him; when he opened them again, Bella was pressed against him- one hand tickling the back of his neck, and the other on his shoulder. "I don't believe it," he commented, bringing his lips to her neck, "do you mean you actually _want_ to dance?" She nodded and looked up at him with hazy, hungry eyes.

They danced. And it was nothing like when they had waltzed at prom. Bella was reveling in her new body, every synapse firing, basking in the glory of the friction created between them. The entirety of their torsos touched, hips rolling sinuously against the others'… two lithe figures, entwined. A scene from a movie floated into her head- two teens grinding in front of a black and white projection; she smiled at the thought that it was what she and Edward looked like now.

A muffled scream echoed from somewhere in the house. Bella turned to the door, alarmed, but Edward just shook his head. "It's just… Rosalie." Another noise came that sounded like an angry grizzly bear… he rolled his eyes. "And Emmett."

She stared at him with wide incredulous eyes for a moment, then caught herself. "Oh," she muttered sheepishly, "so _that's_ what vampires do at night."

He chucked and led her over to the couch, the music still playing seductively in the background. "What did you _think_ vampires did at night?"

She hesitated, his response simultaneously expected and surprising, then replied, "Watch humans sleep?"

He laughed quietly, pulling her a little closer and replied, "That's just me, though I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed it."

She bit her lip, hesitating again. "But not as much as you'd enjoy… me."

He let out a barely audible moan that melted into her name, "Bella, I seriously doubt I'd enjoy watching you more than _being_ with you."

She looked down and swept her fingers over the leather, embarrassed but pleased. "Do you know how much I've thought about… doing… things? On this couch?"

He threw his head back and his shoulders shook with silent mirth. "Trust me, I'm sure it's exponentially less than the time I've spent."

Unbidden, an image came to Bella's mind of Edward lying on this very couch, his whole family gone, unzipping his jeans, calling out her name… she tried unsuccessfully to chase the dirty thoughts from her mind. _Screw it_, she thought.

She rose up on her knees and placed one on either side of his legs, straddling him on the black leather couch like she had imagined doing so many times. Her mouth fell to his with sloppy open-mouthed kisses as she ground her hips onto his. Moaning into her mouth, he grasped her hips forcefully, celebrating internally at one more thing he could do now that she was one of his kind. Those hips had tortured him when she walked, her curves teasing him, begging to be touched and kissed.

His hands sent her quivering as they glided over her waist, her hips, her thighs. An idea struck her; she wasn't sure why, but she was suddenly sure that this, more than anything, was what she wanted to do. She wanted to repay him in some way for everything he had done for her. For resisting the impulse to kill her when they were together, for saving her life innumerable times, for loving her.

She unbuttoned his shirt and kissed her way down his chest until she reached the waistband of his jeans, then slipped in one finger above his zipper; his hips bucked involuntarily. "Button fly?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows at him, even though nervousness still obviously permeated her movements.

_When did _this_ happen_? Edward wondered as she slithered down off the couch onto the floor. _When did Bella the Temptress come into existence_? Not that he minded of course, but- then it clicked. "Bella wait," he grabbed her hands.

She looked up at him, dazed, lips plump with too much kissing. "You don't… want…"

He grabbed her up and held her close, his voice tight with concern and embarrassment. "Bella, of _course_ I want this. But Jasper is definitely influencing us due to what he's most likely doing right now, and plus I just… well, I wasn't going to tell you, but I sort of had a… plan."

Her lips curved up into a smile. "I don't care about Jasper. I'm pretty sure I'd feel this way without him and- wait- you had a _plan_ for _this_?"

He trailed his fingertips down her arm, not meeting her eyes. "I've wanted _this_ for more than a century. I've had plenty of time to think about it. I've known for a while… how I- wanted you. And you must believe me, I've thought- I've fantasized about you more than I care to say. Probably more than is healthy… but… tomorrow. I promise."

She never imagined, when he entered the room, that they would end up discussing their sexual fantasies about each other. He kissed her temple and relished the sight of her mouth hanging open in shock.

**A/N: Yepppp sorry to be cruel, but it's gonna happen next chapter! I swear! Hope you liked the little taste you got though (and thought Emmett's grizzly-gasm as hilarious as I did) Oh and either next chapter or the one after it is going to be the last chapter :( I have a few ideas for a sequel, but we'll see! The song they're listening to is "Inertia Creeps" from Massive Attack... I actually got it from a Ron/Hermione fanfic over at checkmated (SUCH a great romantic HP fic site!) so if the person who wrote that happens to be reading, I loved your fic! And you addicted me to that song :) Look it up on youtube if you wanna hear it. Just minimize it and listen. And review:) Thank all of you so much for getting me to 60 reviews... it makes me so happy!!!**

**Update 5/14: OMG 80 reviews I love you guys!!! I'm honestly working hard on chapter 10... and it's taking a while. I'm being as detailed as possible (mehehe) but I do have AP's tomorrow and the next day... it'll be up as soon as inhumanly possible promise!**


	10. Moving Day

**A/N: WOOOO FINALLY!!!! Wow! I really didn't think that last chapter was a cliffie! But I could see how that could happen... anyways, here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for (which I promised two chapters ago hehe) SMUTFEST. It's the longest chapter so far- 3 pages in Word, sooo hope you get your reading's worth! Not a lot of dialouge... mostly ACTION and I mean ACTION  
**

The dirty U-Hauls with their neon lettering looked vulgar next to the Cullens' obscenely lovely house and the tranquility of the surrounding forest. Emmett whizzed by carrying six precariously balancing boxes filled to the brim with sporting goods. Jasper followed with three overstuffed suitcases, all monogrammed with the letter "A". Rosalie screamed in frustration from her bedroom, no doubt finding it hard to pack the contents of her full-to-bursting walk-in closet.

Charlie had come by earlier, demanding to see his daughter, but was met only by Carlisle telling him she and Edward had left early that morning. In fact, she was upstairs listening forlornly to the whole conversation.

After Bella's things had been moved from the Volvo, and Edward's multitudinous CD collection and sound system had been packed carefully in padded boxes, they lay once more on the leather couch, except this time, they _both_ glittered in the sun. He ran his fingers through Bella's long, now luxuriously smooth hair. He hummed her lullaby, while staring at the empty space where his stereo used to reside. "I'll miss this place," he intoned, voice heavy with nostalgia.

"Mmm, me too," Bella said from the spot where she rested her head on his chest.

When the sun had finally cleared the tops of the trees, Edward whispered to the top of her head, "There's somewhere I want to take you before we leave". She looked up and asked where, but he only replied "It's a surprise," and slipped out from under her, grabbed her hand, and led her downstairs. Alice stood in the foyer and commented surreptitiously, "Have fun you two," as they breezed past. Edward threw her a good-natured scowl.

He stopped briefly when they reached the edge of the forest. "Running in the forest can be a little… unnerving at first. You'll get used to it." He grinned and took off into the trees.

Unnerving was an understatement. The trees seemed to part for her as she and Edward flowed like water through the brush. They were two ghosts, in perfect unison with the forest and each other.

The foliage had just begun to lighten when Edward stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Close your eyes," he told her as he swung her up into his arms. She did, and entertained herself by nibbling on his neck and earlobe while the light beyond her eyelids slowly grew more intense.

He did his best to ignore her, even though he thought his legs might collapse with the sensation. He even tripped over a tree root, which made her burst out laughing. "Keep them closed," he scolded tenderly, nuzzling his cheek against hers. He chided himself; when was the last time he had _tripped_? Only Bella could do this to him.

He stopped and let her down where the trees stopped. "Okay, open."

Bella gasped in delight- she should have known. The Meadow sprawled out before her, resplendent in the cloudless sunshine. She stepped into the open air, and an abundance of warmth settled over her skin. The effect wasn't anything close to what it had been when she was human, but she understood what Edward meant about it being pleasant. She closed her eyes, trying to absorb every detail of this moment, her skin dancing with the knowledge that this was where they would make love for the first time.

When she opened them again, Edward laid shirtless in the center of the field. A light breeze played with his silky hair, teasing her to weave her hands into it. Sunlight glittered off his skin, throwing beams in all directions with the subtle rise and fall of his chest. _Mmm his chest_… which led her eyes down to his defined abs, which led her to… Lust hit her hard, twisting her stomach and drawing her closer until she stood over him. He simply looked up at her, his eyes speaking of the purest sort of love, and the deepest of desires. She fell to her knees to bring her mouth to his, but he was faster. They met with such fervor that, were Bella still human, Edward probably would have broken a few of her teeth. She could feel the muscles of his perfect stomach bunching appealingly under her hands; he was frantically undoing the first few buttons of her shirt, and then… he hesitated.

_Dammit,_ she thought, _why can't he just do this already?_ She pulled back enough to ask exasperatedly, "What?"

His expression was torn as he said, "Maybe we should go slow, savor the moment-"

She cut him off, nearly shaking with desire now, "Edward! We have centuries and centuries to go slow!" She managed to calm down enough to admit quietly, "I want you. I _need_ you." She looked straight into his eyes as she cupped her hand against the bulge in his jeans, "Now."

He shivered with delight- he didn't need to be told twice. He pressed her down into the spongy grass, tearing the rest of her shirt open and sending buttons flying. He grinned toothily down at a soft white bra framed by snowy white skin. Biting her lower lip, she reached under herself to unhook it. She took a deep breath, then pulled it down her arms and threw it into the grass next to them as quickly as she could, like ripping off a Band-Aid. She found him wide-eyed, staring at her chest like a little boy in a candy store. Laughing internally, and feeling a little smug, she grabbed his hand with hers. The knowledge that this was much farther than either of them had ever gone only served to enhance the moment.

She pulled on his hand, though it wasn't as if he needed much encouragement. When she let go, he brushed his fingertips lightly over one breast. With her chest now standing at attention, it was obvious just how much Bella was enjoying this. His smile grew fierce, and both of his thumbs experimentally circled her nipples. She arched up off the grass and clutched his wrists, breath hissing in past her teeth.

"Tell me what to do- tell me if it's good," he whispered shakily.

But Bella was not at home. The response he got was her thrusting her hands into his hair and pulling his face down to where his hands were. "More," she growled. He replaced his hands with his mouth, licking one long stroke up her breast, then closing his lips over its peak. The swirl of his tongue made her cry out involuntarily and slap her hands onto the earth beside her. His hands went to the zipper of her jeans, undoing the button as he pulled the nipple gently with his teeth.

Her hands were scrabbling in the grass now, searching for something to hold on to- something to anchor herself when this pleasure made her feel as if she could transcend her body. All at once, he was at her feet, whipping off her jeans and kissing his way back up one leg. Her ankle, her calf, the bend of her knee- she shrieked joyfully and yelled, "It tickles!" He smiled against her skin but didn't stop. She was sure he could feel her legs trembling by the time he reached her inner thigh, pausing to look up at her. When those irises of liquid topaz set aflame met hers, she sighed and thanked whatever power that existed in the universe for getting her to this moment.

She took a moment to admire the bounty before her: his eyes and mouth on her, the play of his tightly coiled muscles beneath his skin, the long lean lines of his now (finally!) naked body... She was simultaneously thinking about how nice it was that he had no tan lines, and wondering at which point he had lost his pants, when he scooted forward and hooked his thumbs under the lace of her panties. This action caused him to sit up, which gave her an unobstructed view of what she had thus far seen only behind jeans. She was transfixed. He stood straight and thick, pointing up at his belly button, much bigger than she had imagined. She swallowed, trying to imagine how all that would fit where it was inevitably going.

He had realized by now where she was staring, and looked down at his kneecaps, completely mortified. The fact that perfect Edward who could do anything could feel something like shyness only endeared him to her. She sat up in an attempt to quell his embarrassment, sliding her hands up his powerful thighs. At her touch, he looked up meekly to find her smiling nervously at him, trying to tell him silently that she was feeling everything he was feeling- that even though this was as new and as scary to her as it was to him, she still wanted it.

And then they were kissing again, fervently. It didn't matter how strange or awkward any of this was because she was pulling him to her and he was riding her to the ground and he was literally ripping her underwear off (which Bella thought was perhaps the hottest thing that had ever happened to her) and they were going to do this.

He paused only once more, and it wasn't a hesitation, but an attempt to prolong this moment. Their smiles mirrored the others' as he grazed himself across her entrance, making them both shiver at the contact and her whole body tense when he brushed against her clit. He gave her a questioning look that asked, "Yes?" She nodded once and closed her eyes and then they were both crying out as he entered her.

It was a tight fit; he slid into her inch by torturous inch. His whole body was quivering, and he was worried he was hurting her, but by the low keening noises that emanated from the back of her throat, he gathered she was alright. When there was no more room for him to move forward, he slid back out a little faster than he had entered, both of them exhaling giddily. He pushed into her again, then out, and in again, all the while gaining speed, gaining room to move. She wrapped her legs around him, heels digging into the backs of his thighs, spurring him forward. Her nails were biting half-moons into his lower back, but the pain only translated to pleasure in his mind.

Edward could scarcely believe what he was feeling, how she felt against him, how he felt within her. Every thrust brought them closer, to each other and to fulfillment. But his thrusts were becoming more erratic and he wasn't sure how long he could last. When heard her breathing change, he decided to give in to himself. He plunged into her one last time, screaming his wordless release with his brow against her shoulder. A moment later, Bella fell over that same edge, her cry echoing in the trees around them.

If someone had happened upon the meadow that day, they would have seen rainbows shooting off the trees as two bodies lay entwined in the grass.

Always the gentleman, he pulled out of her and flopped onto his back by her side so as not to crush her. But the separation was too soon for Bella; they had only been joined for such a short time, and now their souls were forced to return to their respective bodies. She rolled herself over so she lay on top of him, skin to skin, letting their synchronized breathing slow. She rose and fell with each of his breaths, still trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened.

A breathy "Wow," was all Bella could manage to get out.

"Yeah," Edward agreed, nodding. He hated to ruin the mood at all, but had to ask, "Are you alright? Did it…"

"A little, but then it went away. Then it was…" She trailed off and scooted up his body so she could look directly down into his eyes. "It was… indescribable. Yep, that's the word."

He laughed, but his eyes were serious. "I love you. More than I thought was ever possible."

All she could find to reply with was, "I love you." She pressed her lips to his, trying to convey in a kiss what she felt for him; it was impossible. The love she felt was too broad, too all-encompassing to fit into a single action. But on second thought, she realized what they had just done expressed it pretty damn well.

**A/N: WEEE! Finally! So, I am predicting one more chapter and then I do believe "The End of An Era" will be complete, but NEVER FEAR! I will be writing an alternate ending which I am oh-so-looking forward to (it involves Jacob... I won't say how) and I have a few ideas for a sequel... and even if there isn't a sequel I am for sure going to write a smutty one-shot. So, please review my darlings, and critique! I love smut just as much as the next fangirl, but don't often have the opportunity to write it with feedback, so contructive criticism is welcome! Also, many thanks to belovedranger over at checkmated (who has no idea who I am) because this chapter would be a lot more boring without her wonderfully naughty influence! Cheers!**


	11. Into The Horizon

**A/N: Last chapter! Hope it satisfies :)**

Bella and Edward drifted through the forest toward the Cullens' home, luxuriating in each other as the heat from their bodies evanesced gradually. They still held hands as the trees began to thin out. Just before they crossed the threshold back into reality, they looked each other over and burst out laughing. Bella's shirt was missing its buttons from the bust down, and bits of grass still clung to both their hair and clothing. Not to mention that Bella's irreparable underwear were now stashed in Edward's pocket. "A souvenir," he called them with a sardonic grin. It was so obvious what they had just done that there was no sense in even trying to deny it.

They were still laughing when the rest of the Cullens came into sight. Carlisle and Esme were securing the grand piano in the back of one of the moving vans. The rest of the family cars were parked in a half-circle near the front of the house. Rosalie leaned against the monster Jeep, examining her nails, while Emmett was tying something down in its bed. Alice and Jasper sat in deep conversation on the porch. They all stopped what they were doing when the couple came into sight, all with the same knowing smile plastered on their faces. Only Emmett came forward to greet them, smirking. He opened his mouth, and though all feared some scandalous comment, he simply said, "Hey Bella, I've got a surprise for you." He pointed to the back of his truck; there stood an infamous red motorcycle.

"Oh, Emmett!" she yelled joyously, stepping forward to give him a one-armed hug, "Thank you so much!" She still wasn't ready to separate herself from Edward, and so her hand was still entwined in his.

"It's your 'welcome to the family' present from Rose and me," he added, looking to his spouse.

She looked up and nodded, "Oh, uh huh," before going back to her nails.

Bella suddenly looked insecure. "Oh great. Did _everybody_ get me something?"

Alice stood in front of her in a flash, brandishing a white envelope. "Yep!" she exclaimed, pushing it into Bella's hands.

She gave Alice a look that clearly asked, "Do I have to?"

Of course, Alice wouldn't have it. "Open it!" she yelled, throwing her ever-graceful hands into the air. Bella sighed dramatically, and slipped her finger under the flap. She faltered for a moment, and though she recovered quickly, everyone knew she was thinking about what had happened the last time she opened a present from Alice. She finished ripping it open as quickly as possible, trying to rid herself of that memory. Her face brightened as she began to read:

_Dear Bella, _

_This coupon is good for one wardrobe overhaul with your personal shopping assistant and stylist, yours truly. Monetary amount to be decided. You will NOT_ (this was in capital letters much larger than the rest of her elegant script) _be allowed to look at any price tags! You will actually enjoy shopping and like everything that you get… trust me on this one._

_Looking forward to it, _

_Alice_

Bella's eyes were narrow slits by the time she finished reading, but when she said, "Thanks Alice," the gratitude was obvious in her voice, as was the smile on her face. Alice threw her arms around her new sister, though careful not to pull her hand from Edward's grasp.

"Turn it over," Jasper said quietly, now at Alice's side. She did.

_Bella,_

_ I know we haven't been friends up until this point, but now that you're one of us, I hope we can get to know one another better… or at all. _

_Jasper_

He was quite blunt, but the words did the job- they meant more to her than he probably knew. "Thank you," she whispered, in awe of all the changes this day was bringing. He nodded and retreated back toward the house, his movements uncharacteristically unsure. Alice followed him, whispering what looked suspiciously like "thank you" in his ear as they once again took their place on the porch.

Carlisle spoke up, his voice warm, "You'll get Esme and my gift when we reach our destination."

Bella was intrigued. "Where are we going? I don't even know yet!"

"Uh uh," Esme chimed in, "Edward has sworn us all to secrecy. You won't know where we're going until we get there."

Bella whirled around to face Edward, jaw dropped in indignation. "That is so not fair! Tell me right now!"

He laughed and pulled her close. "Nope, you're just going to have to wait it out." He lowered his lips to her ear, "The anticipation will only make it sweeter, you know." She turned in his arms and brought her lips to his, in full view of his family.

"Aww get a room," Emmett teased.

Surprisingly, Jasper was the one who spoke up for them. "Put a sock in it Emmett, he's had to deal with _us_ for a century."

Emmett sighed, "Alright, well if you two could bear to separate yourselves, we should get going soon."

While Carlisle talked to the men who had just arrived to drive the moving trucks, the rest of the family went to their respective cars. Esme got into the passenger side of the Mustang while Emmett, of course, hopped up into the Jeep. Rosalie slid lithely into her M3, which left the silver Volvo Bella knew all too well.

Alice handed her a new shirt, trying to keep her face neutral. Bella took it gratefully, but then asked, "Wait, are we all going together in the Volvo?"

"Nope, just Jasper and I," she replied, failing to retain her careful nonchalance.

Bella turned to Edward, "Then what are we taking?"

He looked positively giddy as he responded, "The Vanquish."

They took their time as they walked to the outbuilding that housed the lesser used cars. "I thought everybody got me a present," Bella asked as innocently as possible, "Where's yours?"

He gave her a look like she was missing something very obvious, but then seized her to his body so quickly it left her breathless. "I already gave you my present," he whispered, his breath tickling her neck, "though it was my _pleasure_ to give it to you."

She shivered, but somehow managed to say, albeit shakily, "Come on, everybody will be waiting for us."

After they entered the garage, they were admiring the memory-infused car when an idea manifested itself in Bella's mind. "I want to drive," she said abruptly as he placed his hand on the driver's-side handle.

He smiled, though obviously taken aback. "What?"

"I want to drive," she repeated in a stronger voice.

"Okaaay," he chuckled in a disbelieving tone. After they had traded sides and took their places, he asked, "Are you _sure_ you know how to do this?" while they buckled their rather unnecessary seatbelts.

She nodded and backed out of the garage fast enough to make the tires squeal when she braked to turn toward the house. Edward's hands slapped down on the dashboard, as if to protect his baby. "Bella," he warned, his voice pained.

"Oh relax, I'm not going to hurt your car," she replied with relish as she followed the rest of the Cullens out to the main road. They all took off as soon as they hit open highway; Bella did no differently.

As the needle slowly rose beyond numbers at which Bella had ever driven, he laughed, "Alice told me she saw this, but I didn't believe her."

"Well you've learned your lesson by now, haven't you?" she asked with a derisive grin.

"About what?"

"_Never_ bet against Alice." And with that, she put her foot to the floor; the Vanquish's engine roared. Bella let a euphoric shout echo out of the sunroof.

Edward's hand covered hers on the gearshift as they flew off into the horizon at triple-digit speeds.

Going… going… gone.

**A/N: That's right people, The End of an Era is officially over... for now! The alternate ending is happening for sure (I'll give you a little tidbit in the final a/n) Thank you to all the people who have been with me from chapter 1, to those of you who are lucky enough to have found my fic after it was complete, and to those of you who have commented or will comment! I love you all!**  



	12. Final Author's Note

A huge, gigantic, enormous, eternal thank you to everyone who has taken time out of their lives to read my fanfic. It basically took over my life for (more than a) month, and I hope that you thoroughly enjoyed it, maybe even laughed or cried (or wished you were Bella in chapter 9 and 10 for that matter) while you read it. This fic started on a few sheets of notebook paper (which I still have) and grew and grew until it became the 22 page monster it is now (lol). I tried to keep everything as canon as possible, aside from Bella and Edward's hanky panky (but hey, if you had been a virgin for a century, I think you'd act the same). I REALLY appreciate all the comments!!!! And thank you if you mentioned on how I kept the characters true to themselves, because tried hard to keep that in mind when I was writing, and if that shows, then cool! It means I did my job! Coming home to your responses really makes all the fighting with my mom about how I need to sleep and do homework SOMETIME worth it :) Oh, just to let you know, after I finish the zillion other things I have to do, I will most likely go back through this whole fic and make some changes, polish it up, etc... nothing major, just making it better.

thanks to treeofknowledge1 for reminding me of this: Bella DOES have a power! If I write a sequel I will talk more about this. Remember in the first book how she could smell blood? Well her power is that she is super-sensitive to blood- like she can smell some little creature from miles and miles away. The reason it isn't discussed in The End of an Era is that she/the cullens haven't yet realized that her sense of smell (for blood) is much stronger than any of theirs, plus she JUST changed, so she doesn't know how to use it yet

I've added a little GAME for you Twilighters! Hidden in this fanfiction are the titles of Stephenie Meyer novels… cookies if you can find them! Oh and I snuck in one tiny little Harry Potter reference too for extra credit!

Even though I don't have an official playlist, here are some songs I imagine playing during certain scenes:  
-Bella's change: "The Frail" from Nine Inch Nails (when I first heard this song, my first thought was "Hey, that would be a great song for somebody to turn into a vampire to!... honestly)  
-Edward 's escape and return: "Interlude" from My Chemical Romance  
-The fight with Jacob and Bella leaving Charlie: "I Know You Are but What Am I?" from Mogwai (it's in Wicker Park)  
-The song that they listen to when they're dancing: "Inertia Creeps" from Massive Attack (I don't know about you, but I think this song is SO SEXY!)  
-Bella and Edward in the Meadow: unfortunately, I have a lot of songs that ALMOST fit, but none that give the right sentiment… some of them are in Queen of the Damned and Underworld  
-"Going Going Gone": to be decided! I'm still wrestling with a few choices  
(I'll add more to this list if I find something that works)

Fun Fact: While doing the final edit of Chapter 4, I had an image of Edward rapping "Guess who's back... back again... Bella's back... back again..." so... enjoy that mental image I guess? (Now you know how crazy I am)

Alright, I promised you a preview of the alternate ending, so here it is!

"I stopped short in surprise- the red-haired female was crouched down behind a tree, staring into the clearing ahead. What I saw there was like a punch to the gut. Bella lay atop the other leech, both of them breathing heavily, looks of utmost bliss on both their faces- neither of them saw the red eyes that stared at them from the edge of the meadow, or the red hair to match it. It was now obvious what I had mistaken a yell of distress for."

That's all you're getting! It's from Jacob's POV, and it begins where chapter 10 ends. I haven't made any final decisions yet, but it will most likely be short (only a few chapters) and I want to write the whole thing before I post it, so I don't keep you guys waiting between chapters! Hope you read it!

Sequel Update 5/29: Alright, so I've decided where they're going: Cadiz (pronounced CAHdiz- theres an accent on the A), Spain! I spent a week there with my family and the family of my future husband Cesar who has million dollar villas there... (okay so he doesn't know we're getting married yet, but our dads are going to set us up!) That's another story, but that is where the Cullens will be going and I'll be able to describe it minutely so YAY! This desicion makes me happy... hope it makes you happy too! And also, I'm leaning towards combining the sequel with a smutty one-shot under construction called "Bloody Satisfaction"... we'll see!

Have a good morning/afternoon/night/4-in-the-morning!


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